Tag: Art Education

As an artist and generally curious person, I am always looking for ways to learn and my preferred medium right now is online. There’s a wealth of information on the ‘interwebs’ and people are constantly sharing new and even old ideas through their content.

Bob Ross was a national treasure. He made you believe that painting was an attainable endeavor. I’ve actually never tried to paint from one of his tutorial videos, I merely watched the show as entertainment. Ross was encouraging about the learning process and confident in the ability of anyone who wanted to paint. Granted, his paintings weren’t the most creative and some might argue that they were formulaic, but it doesn’t negate the magic of seeing a snow-capped mountain appear before your eyes within minutes. I think it’s a special trait of an educator, to capture someone’s attention and inspire them.

Bob Ross was ‘THAT DUDE’ and his work is a testament to the power of media and education.

Instead of apologizing for an unintended hiatus (wack), I’m just going to jump in and explain what I’ve been doing these past couple of months.

In May, the last leg of my journey was at a ceramics studio in Tolne, Denmark. I worked with people from all over the world to build a wood fired kiln from the bottom up.

In June, I returned to New York City just long enough to move my stuff out of my apartment and into a storage unit. Why? you ask.

Well, I am back in the U.K.

For the next several months, I will be in London working on a research project while also doing an apprenticeship in Dorset, England with a potter. My primary goals for the apprenticeship include experimenting with wheel throwing and sculptural forms, learning about kiln building and firing and mastering glazes. It’s a tall order for only a few months but with my laser-like obsessive compulsive tendencies and penchant for repetition, I fully expect to have improved leaps and bounds by the new year.

I will continue to update the blog with what I’m working on, including news about exciting projects (well, I think they’re exciting).

In short, while I thought this was the end of my trip, it’s actually just the beginning.